RAFA Kidz Boulmer

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are confident, happy and secure at this inclusive and friendly setting. They build strong bonds with staff who are caring, respectful and kind. Children have great fun and thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting as they build towers with bricks, dig soil and pretend to make ice creams using foam and sprinkles.

Staff are very good role models. They provide strong support for children's personal social and emotional development. Staff model manners and encourage children to play well together, as they share books and puzzles. They provide plenty of clear praise and encouragement. This helps children to recognise their achievements and build their self-esteem. Staff teach children about fairness. For example, they encourage children to vote whether they would like to sing or share stories, and which book they would like to have read to them at story time.

Children benefit from daily fresh air and exercise. They enjoy healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, prepared by the nursery cook. Children learn about healthy lifestyles and where food comes from. They visit a local allotment and grow and harvest their own vegetables at the setting. Children are growing well in independence. Staff encourage them to blow their noses, wash their hands and serve themselves at lunchtime. They are well-prepared for their move to school or the next stage in their learning.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Staff plan a wide range of exciting experiences and activities that embed and extend children's learning. Staff know well where children are in their development and what they would like them to learn next.
• The quality of education is good, and sometimes outstanding, such as during storytelling, when children display high levels of focus and engagement. Staff support children in their learning well. However, they do not consistently provide children with the support needed to explore their own thinking and ideas. This hampers children's ability to learn how to think critically, creatively and independently, which are essential skills needed for future learning.
• There is strong support for children's developing communication and language skills. Staff and children share stories and sing songs. Staff skilfully leave gaps in lyrics for children to fill. They repeat children's words back to them. This helps children to know their words are of value and understood.
• Staff plan good support for children's physical development. Children build their strength as they pull up potatoes from the setting's vegetable beds and take part in music and movement and soft-play sessions.
• Staff encourage young children to pull themselves up to standing and use furniture to help practise early walking. Children learn how to use their hands in different ways as they explore with tweezers, and squeeze and roll dough.
• Children learn about their local community and the wider world around them through visitors to the setting, such as a local dentist, fire fighters and police. They take part in trips to local shops and the visiting library van.
• Children benefit from rich experiences to learn about nature. They take part in walks to local cornfields and streams and outings to local parks and the beach. A local farmer visits with his lambs, which the children take turns to feed.
• There is strong support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have built a close working relationship with the local school and other professionals, such as those in health, to help develop a coherent approach to support for children.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff have created leaflets to help advise parents on subjects such as early language development and oral health. Parents speak highly of leaders and staff. They say their children love coming to the setting.
• Staff show thoughtful consideration to the fact that many parents serve in the armed forces. They have created a 'deployment pack' with books, teddies and 'welcome home' bunting to help children and parents manage change. Staff encourage children to learn about where their parents are by marking their position on a world map.
• Leadership is very strong. The nursery is well-run and organised, and staff are supported well. There are rich opportunities for staff training and professional development. Leaders help to ensure the nursery is a positive place to work.
• Leaders and staff are reflective and have a positive attitude towards continuous improvement. They are passionate about their work and ambitious for the setting and the children in their care.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen support for children to explore their own thinking and ideas.